Hi Sherry...you know i was just going to ask you about the wild fire situation in and near Crescent City and also the drought situation, and how your remodel is coming along.
The volcanic activity has been steady from the end of November 2014 through mid-July 2015. It blew its dome to smithereens in Jan/Feb, built another one, and blew big time again in Jun/Jul (a 100 year event it was called). As long as the activity was explosive, we didn't have any problems with ash here in Colima City because the ash blows way up and then generally to the northeast. In July, there were several pyroclastic avalanches down the western slope (toward but not threatening my backyard) and the avalanches brought us 2 dustings of ash; one moderate and one light. I stood in the garden and watched as it silently turned gray. The ash is very fine, like baby powder. Altogether in my location, we have been fortunate. I believe there is still lava and other volcanic debris flowing but very slowly now. We lost wildlife and domestic animals as i don't remember how many metric tons of mountain filled ravines and valleys on the mountain but there was no human loss of life. The volcanic ash does not hose off, but now after a number of rains, the garden is green again, the air clear, and it looks like Spring. It is funny but i planted my garden in February (which is prime time for planting here)...nothing wanted to grow, there were no butterflies or other garden critters...it was eerie. You know, i think the plants and insects can sense that there is magma building in the cone and they just didn't want to grow. The weeds even didn't want to grow. It has been a very strange, but interesting year so far. Now from late July suddenly everything wants to grow. The plants are putting out new Spring green leaves like crazy and the few butterflies are leaving eggs on the few host plants that survived and are big enough. I saw a honey bee yesterday. All good signs...all glorious. I haven't been up to the mountain yet. Now how about you?
